Ward Hauenstein, in his letter to the editor letter (“Time for some new voices,” Aspen Daily News, Jan. 10), deals with the rough side of Aspen’s local affair but does not explain why the town puts up with the politics of personal destruction.

The reason may be that a few have found that the majority does not like to join in the public debate when politics is unpleasant. This attracts the rough and tough who value public office for the recognition, power, pay and benefits it brings. Once elected they discourage citizen participation and competition by making it time consuming, complicated and unpleasant.

The problem is that the abuses of power and civility in local affairs defeats the idea of self-government.